Odyssey Of Survival

Chapter 12 No One Left Behind

Nate stood in silence, staring at his hand as the strange red flames flickered and danced across his palm. He turned his hand over slowly, watching the fire move as if it were alive. It didn't hurt. He couldn't feel the heat. It was as if the fire was a part of him now, and the sight left him frozen in shock.Claire took a cautious step toward him, her wide eyes fixed on the flames. "What… what is that?" she asked softly.

"I don't know," Nate muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Claire circled him, her gaze sharp with curiosity. She tilted her head slightly, as if comparing him to something—or someone.

"This… this happened before," Claire said, her voice trembling slightly.

Bella frowned. "Before? What do you mean?"

"To someone else," Claire explained, pausing as she looked at Nate's hand again. "Amara. It happened to her when we crashed here."

"Who's Amara?" Bella asked, stepping closer.

Claire let out a shaky breath. "Amara was one of the passengers. She was with us when we crashed here… a few days ago."

The group exchanged confused looks. Nate's flames dimmed slightly as he clenched his fist, forcing the fire to fade away. He turned his attention to Claire, his brow furrowed. "What happened when you crashed?"

Claire hesitated, but then started to explain, her voice unsteady. "We thought it was just a normal crash at first. Everyone was shaken up, but we were alive. Then... they came."

"They?" Nate pressed.

Claire swallowed hard, her gaze dropping to the ground. "The beasts. They were massive, bigger than any animal I've ever seen. Their fur was jet-black, like it swallowed the light around them. You couldn't even see their muscles move; they were that smooth. But their faces..." She trailed off, her voice trembling.

"What about their faces?" Bella asked, her voice tinged with unease.

"They were twisted," Claire continued, shuddering at the memory. "Snarling, with teeth like jagged knives. And their eyes... their eyes glowed, like burning embers inside their skulls. It wasn't just fear when you looked at them—it was like they could see right through you, into your soul."

A heavy silence fell over the group, each of them trying to picture the horrors Claire described.

"How did you survive?" Nate asked, breaking the silence.

Claire glanced at him, then at the others. "We all scattered. Everyone ran in different directions. I managed to get back to the plane—it was the only place they didn't go near. There were five of us who made it to the plane."

"Why didn't they enter the plane?" Bella asked, her brows knitted in confusion.

"I don't know," Claire admitted. "They'd circle it, growling and scratching at the outside, but they never came in. It was like something kept them out."

"And the others?" Nate asked, his voice steady but concerned.

Claire's shoulders slumped slightly. "We stayed in the plane for days, but then we got really hungry, we went to

"Wait!"

Nate stopped, turning back to see who had spoken. A young woman stepped forward hesitantly, her face pale but determined. It was Madison.

"I want to come," she said quietly, meeting Nate's gaze.

Nate studied her for a moment, then nodded. "Alright," he said simply. "Let's move."

With that, the four of them stepped out of the plane, leaving the others behind.